West Point Museum

Hudson Valley


Whether or not you choose to take a campus tour of the historic US military academy, this museum, which traces the role of war and the military throughout human history, is worth a look, even for pacifists. Spread around the museum are also paintings, prints and drawings by Hudson River School artists.

Displays of weapons from Stone Age clubs to artillery pieces highlight technology's role in the evolution of warfare, and elaborate miniature dioramas of important moments such as the siege of Avaricum (52 BC) and the Battle of Austerlitz (1805) will mesmerize anyone who played with toy soldiers as a kid.

For those with more interest in the academy, guided tours can be booked through West Point Tours.